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God’s Kingdom is not Political

09 Nov
God’s Kingdom is not Political

As we continue through Luke’s Gospel, I’m amazed at how consistent the Lord was, even though His death was imminent. He didn’t go into hiding. He kept on ministering front and center.

Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.

Luke 19:47-48 NIV

At this point, they couldn’t have Jesus arrested because of the people. However, that didn’t stop them from trying to discredit Him.

One day as he was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”

Luke 20:1-2 NIV

This verse speaks volumes about the religious leaders of Israel. The people are drawn to the preaching and teaching of Jesus. They’re hearing the Good News of God’s kingdom. Their lives are changing.

Yet, for the leadership, that’s not the issue. It’s not about doctrine or theology. It has nothing to do with spiritual truth or growth and maturity. The main focus of this group is political power.

They knew very well that there was no school of the Pharisees or the Sadducees who certified Jesus to teach. As a matter of fact, there was no earthly group who authorized the Lord’s ministry. These leaders felt confident in the fact that Jesus could produce no proof of His authorization to teach.

The Lord’s authorization came from the Father. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. It was that very Spirit who confirmed Christ’s message with the power to heal, deliver, and perform many mighty miracles.

The Pharisees thought they had Jesus backed into a corner. He would have to admit that He had no recognized earthly authority. They quickly learned the error of their thinking.

He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me, John’s baptism — was it from heaven, or from men?”

Luke 20:3-4 NIV

Jesus immediately brings the question of authority from earthly and temporary to heavenly and eternal. John the Baptist was obviously a highly anointed prophet of God. Everyone recognized it to the point where some people asked John if he was the Messiah.

Now the tables were turned. The leadership knew that how they answered this question would expose the attitudes of their hearts.

They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

Luke 20:5-6 NIV

Notice that there’s no discussion about truth or doctrine here. Was John teaching about the righteousness found in Scripture? Did he have a confirmed anointing from God? These questions were not a part of their thinking.

Instead, it was all politics. What will people think about us if we say, “from heaven”? How will people react if we say, “from men”?

And so, like true politicians, they take the coward’s way out.

So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”

Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”

Luke 20:7-8 NIV

I’m so glad that the kingdom of God is not about politics and perceptions. It rests upon the leadership and direction of the Holy Spirit based upon God’s Word. If I submit to God, then He will lift me to the position He has prepared for me. Praise God! – We have perfect freedom.

Question: How can church politics hinder the move of God?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 9, 2022 in Anointing, Leadership, Ministry, Power of God, The Church

 

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The House of Prayer

07 Nov
The House of Prayer

As we continue through the Gospel of Luke, we’re approaching the time where Christ submits to the cross. He has now entered and wept over Jerusalem.

Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling. “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be a house of prayer’; but you have made it ‘a den of robbers.'”

Luke 19:45-46 NIV

I believe this is a very important passage of Scripture. But so many times I’ve heard this used for unimportant issues.

The emphasis of this verse is not about whether the church should host a flea market or Christmas Bazaar. It’s not about book tables or bookstores.

I don’t think these are why the Holy Spirit placed this incident in the Bible. It’s deeper than these surface issues. I’m talking about the spiritual life of the believer.

Think about who we are in Christ. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in our lives. We have now become His house.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

I am a temple to the Holy Spirit. Think about it like the ancient Greek temples. My temple says Holy Spirit on the front.

What would you expect if you came to that temple? What if you entered it and saw a Star Trek Convention going on inside? You may question the priest about it.

“It’s only for this week.”

What if for the next few weeks, you visited this temple and saw a beauty pageant, a chili cook-off, and a real estate seminar.

You’d ask; is this a temple to the Holy Spirit or is it something else? With that thought in mind, reconsider what happened when Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. I like John’s description.

To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

John 2:16-17 NIV

Notice the righteous anger that Christ displayed. What was it that aroused such an attitude? The disciples realized that Jesus was consumed by a zeal for the house of God.

When Christ told His disciples about the Holy Spirit, He said that He was sending “another counselor just like Me.” (John 14:26 – My paraphrase!) The difference is that the Holy Spirit lives in us. He lives permanently in His temple, our body. And, He has the same attitude as Christ.

Do we really get the point? We’re living in the Last Days. The Holy Spirit is starting to cleanse His temple. We need to submit to His program.

Remember – the Holy Spirit will not hurt His temple. But He will start to ruin that which would try and steal our affection. In my experience, I’d rather willingly give up something, than have the Lord remove it from my life.

What do we do?

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

Galatians 6:7-8 NIV

If you really want what the Holy Spirit desires, then sow to please the Spirit. He doesn’t say to summon up all your will power and live right. No! Simply submit to His plan and sow the Word and prayer. Spend time with the Spirit.

Question: What do you need to do to sow to please the Spirit?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 7, 2022 in Prayer, Return of Christ, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Last Days Positioning

04 Nov
Last Days Positioning

In my last post, I began talking about the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem just before His crucifixion. This was found in Luke 19:36-41. At that time the Lord wept over the city of Jerusalem. I said that there were four reasons for His open display of grief.

The first was that looks can be deceiving. Even though a crowd was cheering, the hearts of the people had not changed.

…and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19:42 NIV

The next thing that grieves the Lord is us not knowing what brings peace. Peace is the shalom of God. It’s the resting place in Him of undisturbed safety.

Paul talks about spending time in the peace of God’s presence.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7 NIV

The peace of God will guard and protect you. It’s all you’ll ever need. Time spent with the Lord is never wasted time. It positions us for the resources we need to fulfill our calling.

We also understand that in the presence of God is safety. The enemy can’t get to me when I’m under the Lord’s protection. I don’t have to fear what the world fears.

The Lord also knows when we allow the attacks of the enemy to get in. That brings Him grief. Jesus saw in the spirit how the enemy would come to Israel.

“They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

Luke 19:44 NIV

The word, time, in this verse means a set appointment. The Lord is grieved by us not knowing the times. Do we truly know the times we’re living in?

If you’re at the end of the race and you act like there’s still plenty of time, then there’s something wrong with your thinking. The closer to the end of the race, the more you push yourself.

In looking at the world around me, I believe we’re very close to the Lord’s return. And yet, much of the church acts like things are going to go on like this forever. There’s no intensity, no fervor.

We need to be found standing firm in the Lord in these last days. This is not the time to simply coast along. I need to be positioned correctly at the appointed time in order to receive the prize to which God has called me.

But right along with this, the timing is for a purpose. There’s another word in the above verse I want to look at. The verse literally says, “…you did not recognize the time of visitation.”

The Lord is grieved by us not knowing the times of visitation. Do we even understand what “times of visitation” means? The Greek word for visitation means overseeing.

There are times when we need to oversee the work that’s being done for the Lord. Then, there are seasons when God steps in to directly oversee things. We usually call these times, “revivals.”

Of course, we have a choice. We can be like the people watching the parade pass by. Or, we can be like the disciples actively participating in the procession. The difference is how we position ourselves.

Positioning always comes before the visitation. The Apostle Peter explains.

Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV

Before the visitation we must live as strangers and aliens. After the visitation, the observers glorify God because of what they’ve seen in us.

This is why Jesus wept. He knew that a majority of Israel was missing it. We’re rapidly heading toward the greatest visitation of all. It very well may be the last visitation before the coming of the Lord.

Are we in position? Do you want to be a participant or an observer? Now is the time of decision.

Question: How are you positioning yourself in these last days?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 4, 2022 in Ministry, Return of Christ, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Grieving the Lord

02 Nov
Grieving the Lord

We’re now in the section of Luke’s Gospel that’s commonly known as the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem. The disciples got a colt and a donkey for the Lord to ride as He entered the city. You may want to read Luke 19:36-41 before continuing with this post.

I believe that in this whole passage of Scripture, one of the most important verses is found close to the end.

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it

Luke 19:41 NIV

This verse always amazed me. Here Jesus is entering Jerusalem like a triumphant king. Why would He weep and sob? That’s what I want to talk about in this post. It has a lot to do with where we are at this point in history.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen…

Luke 19:37 NIV

I always thought that it was the whole crowd in Jerusalem who were cheering Him on. But that’s simply not the case. It was only the Lord’s disciples who were cheering for Him. Remember, Jesus had over a hundred disciples at this point.

Look at what the priests said about this.

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Luke 19:39-40 NIV

Notice that the priests didn’t say, “Tell the crowd to be quiet.” They only wanted the disciples to stop their ruckus. Still, it was a joyful procession marching into Jerusalem. So, why would Jesus be weeping? I see four things that answers this question.

First of all, looks can be deceiving. Our first thought might be that there’s a crowd with you, cheering you on. However, Jesus looked at the hearts of those around Him.

Today, around the country, Christians will be praising God in all of the churches. But how many believers are there who truly want God’s will in their lives? I’m not just talking about healing, prosperity, joy, and peace. I mean for us to have God set the course for our lives.

Many Christians have no problem with God as co-pilot. The hard part is handing Him the wheel. We want to serve Christ while still having control over some of the aspects of our lives.

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

Philippians 3:18 NIV

Choosing to be a friend of the world puts you in the same position as an enemy of the cross (James 4:4). Please realize that we don’t make a conscious choice to be an enemy of the cross. Actually, it’s making no choice at all.

Paul says that many “live LIKE enemies of the cross”. Sometimes we’re living like we want God’s will. At other times we live like we want the world. It’s the result of being uncommitted, you want to leave your options open.

That was the greater crowd, they were content to watch and see what would happen. We have to be careful not to simply go along with popular opinion. We need to base our lives on what’s written in God’s Word.

In my next post, I’ll deal with the other three things that caused the Lord to grieve over Jerusalem. I’m hoping they speak to us in this generation.

Question: How can we keep ourselves from becoming captivated by the world’s attraction?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on November 2, 2022 in Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church, Word of God

 

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Ministry Needs and Faith

31 Oct
Ministry Needs and Faith

As we continue to go through the Gospel of Luke, we’re coming to the culmination of the earthly ministry of Christ. He’s approaching Jerusalem, knowing that the cross awaits Him there. As the Lord is about to enter the city, Luke records an interesting event that takes place.

After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ tell him, ‘The Lord needs it.'”

Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

Luke 19:28-34 NIV

We need to understand what’s happening here. It has a lot to do with attitudes and faithfulness in the kingdom of God.

The first thing I see is that something is needed to fulfill the ministry of Christ. It was foretold in the Old Testament that Jesus would enter Jerusalem on the back of a colt. It was time for this to be accomplished. In every ministry, there are needs that must be met in order for God’s will to be done.

Next, I see a supernatural revelation as to how this need was going to be filled. Notice that Jesus didn’t say to His disciples, “Guys, I’m going to need to ride in on a colt. You have to go out and find me one quickly.”

That tells me that to accomplish my calling, it will always require faith. After all, there were other ways this could have been done. Jesus could have purchased a colt in Jericho, the last town He visited. Then He would have had it ready to go upon His arrival.

But that’s not how the Father wanted this to happen. He desired the disciples to act in faith toward the instructions of Jesus.

Finally, it comes down to attitudes. The disciples know what the ministry needs and how God intends to provide it. The problem is that it all depends upon another party – those who own the colt. All they heard was, “The Lord needs your colt to accomplish God’s will.”

Think about it. How many times have we been in a meeting listening to a missionary share their excitement over the people-group that God has called them to reach.

“The Lord needs your money to accomplish His will.”

I know what you’re thinking. The disciples told the owners that the colt would be sent back when the Lord was through with it.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.“

Luke 6:38

Why do we get the attitude sometimes, “Oh, no! Another special offering.” We need to understand that God looks at these gifts as loans to His kingdom. He always repays with blessings we couldn’t ever get on our own. But it all comes down to attitude.

Get your money or resources involved in kingdom work as the Lord leads you. You won’t regret it.

Question: How have you been blessed by giving something to the Lord’s work?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 31, 2022 in Faith, God's Provision, Ministry, Missions

 

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Are You Prepared for the Lord’s Return?

28 Oct
Are You Prepared for the Lord’s Return?

In my last post, I started talking about the parable where a nobleman gave some money to his servants. This is found in Luke 19:11-27.

The nobleman was going on a journey, and he wanted the servants to invest the money for him while he was gone. He gave them each 1 mina, about $2,500, for this investment. Then, he checked their progress when he returned.

“Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.

“The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’

“‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’

“The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’

“His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’”

Luke 19:15b-19 NIV

Everything seemed to be going well. There was increase. Both of the servants ended up with a nice profit. One had a 1000% return, the other made 500%. I wish I could find that kind of investment!

They had used the money they were entrusted with wisely. Their Lord commended them. Now they could expect the reward that they earned.

Finally, the last servant showed up.

“Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’”

Luke 19:20-21 NIV

This servant took what was given to him and instead of using it and putting it to work, he just wraps it up and hides it. The worst part of this whole scenario is that he knows his master is expecting him to increase it.

He has no excuse. The servant even said, “I know you expected me to work with it and to make more because that’s the kind of person you are.”

Listen to the attitude. It’s heard throughout the church today. It’s the cry of those who have bought into the lie of the enemy concerning their lives.

This servant has the audacity to accuse the master of harvesting where he hasn’t planted. It was the master’s money he was entrusted with. The master was planting his own money into the lives of his servants.

I’ve seen this exact attitude in the church. “What has God ever done for me? I’m going to take care of myself first. If I have any leftover time, then I’ll worry about serving Him.”

The Lord gave them the very life in their body. They belong to Him. He has sown so much into their lives, yet they act like they’ve been given nothing and now have to make their way on their own.

There are Christians whose attitude suggests to me that they’re actually annoyed by the presence of God in their lives. They see the Lord who died for them as a hard man to work for.

We need to realize that saint and sinner alike will all give an account before the Lord someday. The Scripture is clear on that. What are you going to answer on that day when you go before the Lord and He says, “Here’s what I’ve given you. I shed My blood for you. I took the crown of thorns on My brow for you. I took the stripes on My back for you. This is what I invested in you. What did you do with it?”

Don’t expect to receive a reward when your response is, “I tried to ignore You the best I could.” That’s not going to earn you any points.

In the end, this wicked, lazy servant lost his money. I believe this corresponds to those who are saved, yet ignore the plan of God for their lives. Paul had something to say about the Lord inspecting our work someday. It sounds a lot like what Jesus said.

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
I Corinthians 3:10-11

We’ve been given the best foundation. But we’re expected to build our ministry upon it. We must allow growth to come into our life. We must add the Word of God. Then comes obedience to the Word. This must happen if we want to see the increase that God’s looking for.

Growth means change. Do you want to see the changes that God wants? There must be growth if we’re going to reach out to the people God has given to us. If we are walking in a growing relationship with Christ, then we’re building on the foundation that’s been laid in our life.

Question: What have you added to the foundation of your life so far?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 28, 2022 in God's Provision, Ministry, Return of Christ, Revival

 

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Our Performance Review

26 Oct
Our Performance Review

Continuing through Luke’s Gospel, we now come to a well-known parable. It deals with how well we work in God’s kingdom. You may want to read Luke 19:11-27 before reading this post.

We need to remember that we’ll be judged someday. We are already found to be “not guilty” in Christ. So, there’s no fear of the future for us.

However, the judgment of believers will be more of a performance evaluation. So, we better prepare now. That’s what this parable is about.

He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘

Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’

Luke 19:12-13 NIV

The nobleman makes it clear that he wants his money invested while he’s gone. He leaves it up to the servants’ discretion as to how it will be used. But he’s going to be looking for a return.

If you know anything about the money systems mentioned in Scripture, then you realize that this was a lot of money. In New Testament times a mina was roughly equivalent to three months of wages.

If it were today’s economy, it would be as if the servants received about $2,500 each. So, all in all, the nobleman gave out a fair amount of money for this investment.

The problem the servants were faced with is that there were some strings attached to this money. The man gave it to the servants with a purpose in mind.

He said, “Put this money to work until I come back.” It’s still my money – but I want you to turn a profit with it. He made it clear that he was giving them oversight concerning this money so that it would be invested for him while he was away.

I believe that the Lord is talking here about the resources that God has given us. He’s entrusted certain things to the Church. And depending on our position in the Body of Christ, we’re entrusted with more or less.

Obviously, the Bible says that those who teach are going to be held more responsible than those who don’t (James 3:1). All of us are given responsibilities, and we’re going to be judged according to the handling of those responsibilities.

That’s why it’s so important for me to seek out my gifts and callings in the Lord. As He reveals them to me, I become responsible to carry them out. Ignorance is not an excuse.

There are many believers who refuse to seek God concerning their calling so that they will not have to work for God. They’re too busy seeking their own pleasures. This is the same as hiding the mina in the ground.

God has a work for each of us to do. Whether we ask Him about it or not, we’ll be judged on how well we complete it.

Knowing that these servants were given this responsibility, we should be very interested to see the outcome. It will help us to prepare for the day when we’ll be called to give account for our actions. This is what I’ll be posting about in my next article.

Question: What are the gifts and talents that you’ve been given by God?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 26, 2022 in Ministry, Return of Christ, Spiritual Walk

 

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A Son Coming Home

24 Oct
A Son Coming Home

In my last post I talked about Zacchaeus from Luke chapter 19. In looking at this encounter, I talked about the Biblical principle of Sonship. Jesus had just called him down from the tree and told him that He was coming to Zacchaeus’ home.

Zacchaeus had no idea what was about to happen.

So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’”
Luke 19:6-7 NIV

These two verses show us, in a tangible way, the difference between using the power of the law and the power of the Spirit. The law is always trying to block your way. It says that you must get yourself ready before you can abide with Christ. The religious people thought that there was no way that Christ should enter Zacchaeus’ home.

I’m writing this so that you’ll know for a certainty that it doesn’t matter how you start out. Your problems, failings and lack of commitment are all things of the past. You can start fresh by abiding with Christ today.

The time to run to the Lord is before you try to fix yourself up. It’s only as you remain in His presence that you receive the power for changing your life.

Look at what happened to Zacchaeus.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Luke 19:8-10 NIV

Salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house. We usually misunderstand what salvation is all about. If you can grasp its total impact in Scripture, salvation actually includes all of God’s life changing and restoring power. It was this power that was manifest in Zacchaeus’ life that day. His love of money dissipated in the light of the Spirit’s love.

But, more importantly, Jesus said that he, too, is a son. He may have gone his own way for a while, but Zacchaeus was loved by the Father. The Lord was clear that He came seeking Zacchaeus.

It’s an interesting perspective because Zacchaeus thought that he was seeking Christ. It’s just like our spiritual worship.

Scripturally, the word, worship, means to bend forward as if to kiss. If we will bend forward to kiss the Lord, then He will bend forward to kiss us.

The greatest ministry of Christ was that He came to seek and save that which was ruined. Right now the body of Christ in America is full of ruined sons and daughters. It’s time to seek the Lord.

What we’ll find is that in our seeking of Him it’s actually the Lord who’s seeking us. It’s time for us as believers not get saved, but to BE SAVED. We need to rise up to our rightful place and position of Sonship.

This can only happen as we see the importance of our relationship with the Father. This means that we understand how to relate as sons and daughters to our heavenly Father.

Question: How does Sonship change your view of who you are as a believer?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 24, 2022 in Encouragement, Faith, Revival, Sonship, Worship

 

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A Wayward Son

21 Oct
A Wayward Son

As we continue through Luke’s Gospel, we now start chapter 19. Jesus is entering Jericho on His way to Jerusalem. He has an encounter that should give some good insights.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.
Luke 19:1-3 NIV

Here we see Jesus entering the town of Jericho. There was a man there who wanted to see Jesus. The problem is twofold. First of all, he’s a tax-collector. While that’s a respectable job in our society, that wasn’t the case back in ancient Israel.

The closest I can come to showing you how people felt about Zacchaeus is by comparing him to a modern-day drug dealer. That’s the perception that the average Israelite had toward this profession. He was a man both hated and feared by most of the townspeople.

Yet, the Bible says that he was seeking to see Jesus. The reason it was a problem to him was because he had a small stature. Because of this, and the fact that the crowd wouldn’t let him through, Luke states that he did not have the power to see Jesus.

He came up with a good solution for his problem.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
Luke 19:4 NIV

Notice how he handled the situation. We should learn from him in our walk with the Lord. He saw where Jesus was headed and went in that direction so he could meet the Lord when He got there.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”
Luke 19:5 NIV

The words of Christ are very important. He literally said to Zacchaeus, “I must abide, remain, dwell with you today.” This is the very call that Christ is making to each one of us. It’s His heart’s desire that we make our dwelling place with Him. That’s where we find the power that can transform everything.

The fact is that even though this man was hated among the Jewish people, he was still an Israelite. He was a son of Abraham, a member of God’s household. Jesus was able to look beyond the external things and see into his heart.

I post a lot about our position of Sonship from the Scripture. In many of my posts I talk about the freedom we have as sons and daughters of God.

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 3:6 NIV

This is another important part of our position as sons in God’s house. It must never be forgotten that Sonship is a position of relationship. In this relationship Jesus Christ is the eldest Son OVER the house. He’s the One from whom and through whom all power and authority flows. Never forget this.

The story of Zacchaeus is a beautiful example of the power of Sonship that occurred during Jesus’ ministry. In my next post, I’ll continue this, by showing how the story of Zacchaeus beautifully illustrates our position as sons and daughters of the Lord.

Question: How does Sonship change your view of yourself?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 21, 2022 in Revival, Sonship, Spiritual Walk

 

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A Call for Mercy

19 Oct
A Call for Mercy

Among Christians, we’ve come up with our own “church talk”. There are certain words that we use in the church that have become watered down. We use them a lot without really understanding their Biblical significance.

As we continue through the Gospel of Luke, we’ll talk about one of these words – mercy.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luke 18:35-39 NIV

The first thing I see in this passage is that this man believed something about Jesus. His faith was so strong that a crowd of people couldn’t turn him from his course.

We need to know the whole story. The account of this in Mark, chapter 10, tells us that he was the son of Timaeus. There’s a reason why we’re told this. The Hebrew word, timaeus, means to be spiritually unclean or defiled. He had carried the stigma of this his entire life.

The crowd looked at him and saw the son of a defiled, worthless father. They couldn’t see any reason that Jesus would bother with someone like him. Unfortunately, there are times when we look at others, or even ourselves, in this same way.

What made the difference was that this man knew the truth about the Lord. It’s manifest in the words that he shouted.

“Jesus, Son of David.” That was the title he used in calling the Lord. This is a Messianic title. It means that the blind man was trusting Christ as the Messiah and Savior of Israel. He was coming to Jesus because of who the Lord was, and not just because he wanted a healing.

This blind man had been praying and meditating on the words of Christ. How do I know this? Even the disciples of the Lord only knew He was Messiah because of a revelation from God (Matthew 16:15-17). So, in spite of his blindness, this man was spiritually sensitive.

“Have mercy on me!” This is the key to the whole passage. He wanted to be healed, yet he asked for mercy. Our generation has no concept of what this word means in the Bible.

Mercy is the favor God shows to His obedient sons and daughters. It’s the privilege of sonship. For a more detailed teaching on mercy, click here.

What this shows me is that this man did not choose to identify with his earthly, unclean, father. Instead, he found his place as a son of Abraham. Thus, he had the right to call upon the Messiah as his Lord and Healer. The Lord responded to his cry.

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Luke 18:40-43 NIV

This is very applicable to us in our generation. How do we approach God? Do we come to Him based upon our need?

We should come to Christ on the basis of who He is. Jesus Christ is Lord, Healer, Deliverer, Redeemer, etc. We should also see ourselves correctly – as a child of God – holy and righteous in His sight. This makes all the difference.

Question: How does your view of Jesus and yourself affect your ability to receive from God?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 19, 2022 in Encouragement, Faith, Healing, Sonship

 

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